4 6 A Note from the Director A CARIBOON BLAZING A NEW TO CARIBOU OREGON TRAIL Welcome to the inaugural issue of My Public Lands, Public lands in Alaska are Get radical! Go wheels down a magazine designed to give readers a glimpse into what home to more than half of the on the BLM’s world-class nation’s caribou. mountain bike trails built BLM-managed public lands have to offer – whether it is with help from local riders. nearby or a thousand miles away. 8 10 Often the public’s perception of the BLM is a refl ection WILD WATER of the most visible work we do in any given community. CONSERVATION HUNTING THE For instance, residents of Wyoming communities may be The Snake River in Idaho is HUNTER well aware of the BLM’s role in oil and gas leasing or being carefully conserved America’s super secret for future generations. spies hunted German coal development. For residents of the Pacifi c Northwest, it might be forestry and WWII U-boats from this in California it could be recreation. But the fact is, our work is extremely diverse 12 vintage lighthouse on the Florida coast. and touches the lives of all Americans. WALKING WITH The purpose of My Public Lands is to cast a light on some of the work of the BLM GIANTS 14 that, together, fulfi lls our mission “to sustain the health, diversity and productivity Follow 167-million-year-old SURF’S UP! of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” dinosaur tracks in Spectacular scenery In this issue, you’ll see a mix of stories about the land’s natural beauty, the the ancient ocean sings the siren’s song to shores of...Wyoming? people who lived here before us, and the historic role public lands played in summer travelers along the California coast. building communities during good times and bad. You’ll read about the role a lone 16 lighthouse on the Florida coast played as a spy station during World War II, and EXPLORE 18 about how the BLM manages forests in Montana and caribou habitat in Alaska. AMERICA AMERICAN You’ll learn how a public-private partnership brought world-class mountain Visit America’s Great HUSTLE biking trails to an area near Portland, Ore., and see what happened when an Outdoors – from Alabama to Alaska! In 1914 near Cripple Creek, unexpected visitor showed up in the campsite of a BLM river guide on a trip down Colorado, a group of miners the Green River in Utah. 22 discovered a hidden chamber – with walls of gold. This issue comes as we prepare to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the WELCOME TO THE Wilderness Act this fall, and so on these pages, we also recognize this landmark BIG HOUSE 24 legislation passed by Congress in 1964 and the legacy that has evolved. For the In the remote high deserts DON’T BUG BLM, that means managing 221 Wilderness Areas – about 8.7 million acres – and of New Mexico, modern-day MONTANA an additional 12.8 million acres of Wilderness Study Area in a natural, undisturbed Indiana Joneses are building a bridge to our past. Big Timber, Montana, is back state. on track after the BLM It is our hope that this edition of My Public Lands helps you to get to know us 26 and its neighbors successfully defend against a mountain and all of your public lands, whatever their current uses, a little better. THE GOOD NEWS pine beetle infestation.

ABOUT TOUGH 28 TIMES NEIL KORNZE MIDNIGHT Visit Arizona’s historic DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT Sanchez Civilian Conservation MUSTANG Corps Camp that helped A river run down Utah’s the country through Desolation Canyon turns the Great Depression. into a magical meeting with a wild mustang. 30 HOME FOR Your Passport to America’s Great Outdoors 150 YEARS VOLUME 1 ISSUE 1 Nevadans mark 150 years of statehood WWW.BLM.GOV with a photo contest and other activities. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Contact Celia Boddington My Public Lands is a publication of DEPUTY EDITOR the Bureau of Land Management Jeff Krauss 1849 C Street NW, Rm. 5665 Washington DC 20240 Burning Man EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Phone: 202-208-3801 Bev Winston Fax: 202-208-5242 Tens of thousands of visitors enjoy EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR [email protected] Burning Man on Nevada public Matt Christenson Mission lands managed by the BLM. COPY EDITORS The BLM’s mission is to Michelle Barret, Meredith Black, The 2014 Burn kicks off August 25! and Elizabeth Rieben sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the See more great photos at SOCIAL MEDIA public lands for the Amy Krause use and enjoyment instagram.com/mypubliclands. PRODUCTION MANAGER of present and Stephen Morse future generations. Burning Man Photo by Bob Wick Front Cover Illustration by Matt Christenson BLM/WO/GI-14/007+83012 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 3 WILDLIFE CARING FOR CARIBOU Public lands in Alaska are home to more than half of the nation’s caribou.

here are a great Tmany things that set Alaska apart from the lower 48. PHOTO BY JACOB W. FRANK, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Chief among them are the unique challenges the All of these factors come into play as the BLM in of Fairbanks, provide crucial calving habitat for the BLM habitats and the caribou they support are treasured by environment offers, the diversity of animals that inhabit Alaska manages habitat for 16 herds of barren-ground Fortymile and White Mountain herds. The Fortymile herd thousands of rural and Native Village residents who depend it, and the sheer size of America’s largest state. These caribou. is internationally signifi cant, as its winter range extends upon caribou for food. The herds are also important to sport diverse lands include majestic mountain ranges, vibrant The largest -- the Western Arctic Herd -- numbers over into Canada. The BLM is working with the Government hunters and other wildlife lovers in Alaska and beyond. wetlands, unique coastal marine environments and vast 300,000 animals and ranges over an area larger than the State of Yukon, Alaska Department of Fish and Game and others They are very important to BLM as well. “As human expanses of tundra. The BLM manages 72 million acres of of New Mexico. This herd is particularly dependent on BLM to conserve this important herd as it rebounds from a activities expand and climate change continues, we are public lands in the state, including the largest contiguous habitats, as more than a third of its range occurs within BLM population decline. more challenged than ever to understand the needs of boundaries in northwestern Alaska. In fact, nearly all of its Caribou must keep moving to fi nd adequate food. caribou and ensure they remain a viable, healthy part of the calving grounds are found within the National Petroleum Large herds often migrate hundreds of miles between their Arctic landscape,” says Cara Staab, wildlife biologist for STORY BY ERIN CURTIS, BLM ALASKA Reserve, and much of the winter range is within another summer and winter ranges, while some smaller herds might BLM-Alaska. To that end, the agency is engaged in several signifi cant block of BLM lands -- the Nulato Hills. not migrate at all. continuing, long-term caribou monitoring and research block of federal land in the United States – the 23 million The BLM’s Steese National Conservation Area and Although caribou herds may intermingle on their winter projects to ensure these majestic animals continue to thrive acre National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. White Mountains National Recreation Area, both east ranges, they separate into distinct calving areas in the spring. across this “Great Land of Alaska.”

4 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 5 RECREATION

Story by Zach Jarrett & Matt Christenson, BLM Oregon

Get Radical! The BLM forces volunteer work parties to create joins and maintain the Sandy Ridge Trail System. It’s even accessible by public with a group of transportation. gnarly mountain In addition to the BLM and the ! Thanks to Trail Alliance, local youths also joined bikers the effort – some of whom were only just getting into riding themselves. an innovative public- Members from the Columbia River Environmental Youth Corps, Northwest private partnership, Youth Corps, Portland Youth Explorers, and the Urban League of Portland these two groups have provided over 10,000 hours to construct built world-class riding more than 15 miles of trails as well as to remove weeds and install visitor signs. trails near Portland, Oregon, Take Off the Training Wheels that are quickly becoming an As these biker-built trails international sensation. have expanded, they’ve received overwhelmingly positive coverage. From the New York Times and the Oregonian to the hippest blogs, And these incredible trails are available to everyone – the secret is out. easily found on America’s public lands. The Sandy Ridge But these trails aren’t just for pros. All ability levels and riding Bike to the Future Trails stand among styles are fi nding their home here. ewis and Clark never imagined the premiere Anna Laxague, a director for the International Mountain Bike Back in 2009, the BLM in Oregon heard an important destinations for message from its neighbors. As more Americans migrate Association, says it’s “a tasty ribbon of dirt fl owing through an old- a trail quite like this. mountain bikers. L to big cities, they’re looking for a wider range of local growth forest. Short climbs can be blasted like on a pump track to maintain your Traveling these hills used to require a 1,300-pound prairie recreation. But near Portland – arguably the two-wheeled speed, and you’ll fi nd minimal need to pedal. I’m not sure I’ve ever been on a trail schooner loaded down with everything from barrels of food capital of the country – virtually all mountain bike trails quite like this one. Somebody pinch me.” and water to medical supplies and ammo (not to mention were at least an hour away. Or don’t. the odd family piano). But today you can divebomb these Enter the Northwest Trail Alliance (NWTA), the largest For mountain bikers, this is one dream they won’t ever want to wake up from. very same pioneer paths on your 25-pound, 27-speed mountain bike trail advocacy group in the State of Oregon. carbon fi ber mountain bike that will turn a simple trail into With over 250 active members, the NWTA partnered with

a roller coaster. But how did we get here? the BLM to sign an Adopt a Trail Agreement that organized Inset Photo by Michael Campbell, BLM Oregon Keep Riding @ 6 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 http://on.doi.gov/1jaDb5e 7 tand on a bluff above the South Fork of the Snake River in southeastern Idaho and watch the swift current, born of snowmelt and springs among the high ridges of Yellowstone country, fl ow around ever-changing sandbars. Takes in the wide views of verdant hillsides that glow with reds, yellows, and oranges in the fall. Glimpse a moose lazily grazing along the shore or a bald eagle soaring above, eyeing the trout swimming in the water below. The magnifi cent views and easy access to food and building materials inspired many families to build homesteads and ranches here in the late 1800s. These sparse settlements later gave way to subdivisions and resorts. The expanding development inspired the BLM to partner with The Conservation Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and the Teton Regional Land Trust to form the Upper Snake River Land Conservation Partnership. The goal -- to acquire key properties from willing landowners to help preserve what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has called the most valuable, biodiverse, and unique ecosystem in Idaho. One-third of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s bald eagles share the air space here with 179 bird species, including 21 raptor species. In the waters below, the largest STEWARDSHIP population of native Yellowstone cutthroat trout outside of Yellowstone National Park SNAKE RIVER RISING swims the clear river channels. One of the largest wildlife-rich, cottonwood gallery This gorgeous waterway in Idaho forests remaining in the lower 48 states is is being carefully conserved found here. The region also provides crucial winter range for deer, elk and other big game. for future generations. So far, willing land owners have exchanged, sold or donated about 90 private properties to the cause. Many of these were working farms and ranches intermingled with public lands. This has provided some 27,000 acres to help consolidate public lands and enhance the ecological integrity of an area under increasing development pressure. This work also adds tangible value for the more than half a million people who come here each year to fi sh, boat, camp, hike, watch wildlife or simply enjoy the area’s stunning natural beauty and cultural richness.

STORY BY JESSICA GOTTLIEB , BLM IDAHO

Think this photo is amazing? See Snake River for yourself! Visit http://on.doi.gov/1hvZbZs or scan our QR code for more!

8 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 9 AMERICAN HISTORY oday this island of green stands as a peaceful waylay for tourists looking for GHOSTS AT THE COAST tranquility away from spring breakers, motorcycles, and urban development. During WWII, this peaceful-looking But don’t be fooled. The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse has a secret past few have inlet was the home of American ever known. intelligence agents who were spying – Back in WWII, the lighthouse served and calling in air strikes – as a U.S. intelligence spy station. on German U-boats that sank During those years, merchant ships American ships off the coast of Florida. departed from the Port of New Orleans carrying vital war supplies to U.S. troops in the European theater. These ships were forced to travel dangerously close to the Florida coastline to avoid being attacked by German submarines lying in wait for them. The fi rst year of the war was particularly dangerous and costly. Ships such as the SS Republic and the SS W.D. Anderson were sunk off Jupiter Inlet killing 42 people. In anticipation of the increasing threat from lurking German U-boats, the U.S. Navy established a secret intelligence listening post known to the intelligence community as “Station J” where the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area stands today. The crew at Station J intercepted German radio messages to provide crucial information to help protect U.S. merchant vessels and allied ships and aircraft. Station J was even able to pinpoint the locations of hostile German submarines when they surfaced each night to charge their batteries and send reports back to Germany. The American spies who intercepted this information relayed to U. S. tactical units. As a result, the U-boats were caught by surprise on the surface by U.S. aircraft whose swift air attacks

Photo Courtesy of Loxahatchee River Historical Society Photo Courtesy of Loxahatchee signifi cantly reduced the effectiveness of German patrols in that portion of the Atlantic. STORY BY BOB GILLCASH, BLM EASTERN STATES

In 2008, Congress passed an act designating this remarkable site as the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area to protect its unique scenic, scientifi c, educational, and recreational values. The lighthouse is part of the National Landscape Conservation System and is one of only three sites afforded the Outstanding Natural Area designation. Today, this unlikely spy station welcomes 80,000 visitors each year – many of whom have no idea of the ) lighthouse’s James Bond past. 10 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 (or check out http://on.doi.gov/1i7qtWD 11 PALEONTOLOGY MAKE TRACKS! More dinos @ on.doi.gov/1rqghJk Or just use our QR code!

DOWN BY THE SEA SHORE We follow 167-million-year-old dinosaur tracks in the ancient ocean shores of...Wyoming?

magine yourself walking along an ocean shoreline 167 million years ago with dozens of dinosaurs, picking up bites to eat from what washed up on the Scientists are excited about this site because its size makes it last high tide. The ground is soft and your feet sink the largest in the state and its age marks it as one of only a few down in the thick ooze, leaving a clear footprint with worldwide from the Middle Jurassic Period (160 million to 180 every step you take. million years old). These footprints are the tangible remains of The discovery also means that the geologic history of the area the Middle Jurassic population of meat-eating needs to be rewritten. allow tracks and other fossils to be digitally documented dinosaurs that walked on this ancient tidal fl at, and For part of the Middle Jurassic, Wyoming was covered for research and curation. A podcast was recently made are preserved at the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite periodically by an ancient ocean called the Sundance Sea. Until available on YouTube that showcases the site and details in Wyoming. The tracksite is not only a gem among the tracks were found, scientists thought that only sea-dwelling some of the state-of-the-art photogrammetric work done America’s public lands, it is also one of the premier creatures could have lived in the area which would mean there on dinosaur footprints in northern Wyoming. dinosaur tracksites in the world. shouldn’t be any dinosaur footprints here at all. But there are More than 12,000 people from 11 countries and more thousands of tracks in the 40-acre area. The dinosaur tracks were than 30 states visited the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite Photo BLM Wyoming The limy mud over which the dinosaurs walked clearly made just at the shoreline, not in deep ocean water, and in 2013. In addition to fi nding hundreds of dinosaur Iprobably felt similar to cement just starting to harden. there must have been large areas of dry land to support not only tracks, visitors are also enjoying the recreational area’s The tracks were perfectly preserved when the ground dinosaurs but other animals and plants. recent facelift which includes a new shade shelter, the fossilized and was covered by more layers of ooze and The Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite is one of the most extensively Trex boardwalk, and well-maintained picnic area and then by fi ne sand, fi lling the tracks and preserving their and intensively studied dinosaur tracksites in the world and interpretive signage. shape. Over the years, layer upon layer of sediment continues to provide important information about the dinosaurs The Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite exemplifi es fi lled in over the top. Much later, erosion went to work and paleogeography of western North America during the Middle Wyoming’s tremendously rich fossil heritage and provides STORY BY SARAH BECKWITH, BLM WYOMING and removed those layers, exposing the tracks that were Jurassic Period. BLM scientists working here have pioneered a unique opportunity for the public to experience one of made all those millions of years ago. photogrammetric techniques currently used around the world that the world’s unique dinosaur tracksites.

12 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 13 PHOTO BY BOB WICK, BLM CALIFORNIA

NATIONAL MONUMENT VACATION DESTINATION Spectacular scenery sings the siren’s song to summer travelers along 1,100 miles of the awe-inspiring California coast.

The monument, established by Presidential proclamation in It’s a haven for birds. Monument rocks are critical nesting 2000, protects more than 20,000 small islands, rocks, exposed and breeding grounds for thousands of birds. Although the reefs and pinnacles stretching the entire 1,100-mile length of ocean is their primary habitat and food source, seabirds such as California’s coast. murres, guillemots and puffi ns nest on the offshore rocks where Waves crashing over the rocks jutting from the brilliant they are safe from predators. blue Pacifi c provide a breathtaking backdrop for drivers on It’s a marine mammal retreat. Harbor seals, California sea California’s Highway 1, revered by many as one of the world’s lions, Stellar sea lions, elephant seals and California sea otters most scenic drives. Photographers and artists from around the thrive in the waters surrounding the monument and go out onto world are drawn to the rocks, writers are inspired by them, and the rocks to rest. school children in coastal towns use the natural beauty in their It’s a natural wonder. The nutrient-rich waters around the own back yards to produce poetry, essays and art. monument support diverse habitats and organisms. Tidepools, Importantly, however, these rocks and islands provide pounded by the surf and baked by the sun, are some of the critical habitat for seabirds, seals, sea lions, and unique plants. harshest environments on earth and support fascinating life Spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, and heartfelt And this year, the California Coastal National Monument forms adapted to survive in extreme conditions. connections – these are the natural ties between “came ashore,” as 1,665 acres known as the Point Arena- It’s an economic engine. Coastal communities from Stornetta Public Lands were added to the monument. This enclaves near San Diego, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, to community residents and nature that combine to property on the Mendocino Coast, also designated by the tiny towns on the rugged north coast depend on tourist Presidential proclamation, more than doubled the monument’s dollars brought by thousands of visitors drawn to the coast’s make the Bureau of Land Management’s California acreage, and for the fi rst time provided opportunity for people magnifi cent beauty. Importantly, the tourism is sustainable and Coastal National Monument unique among the agency’s to actually set foot on the monument. There is now unfettered not dependent on development. public access to a 12-mile swath of coastal prairies and dramatic It’s a respite from the stresses of daily life. A stroll across assemblage of National Conservation Lands. bluffs overlooking a rugged and rocky shoreline. coastal prairies at Point Arena, a hike on Trinidad Head or a The monument is loved by many, for many different stop at a dramatic ocean overlook provides ways for people to reasons. revitalize and recharge. Story by Jeff Fontana, BLM California

14 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 15 Idaho Montana Craters of the Moon Pompeys Pillar National Monument is home National Monument is to the Great Rift, a 62-mile long Oregon home to Captain William crack in the Earth’s crust. Craters, Known for its big Clark’s signature carved into cinder coves, lava tubes, deep trees, Oregon boasts a sand stone butte along the cracks, and vast lava fields form one giant that stands high Yellowstone River in 1806. Clark’s a strangely beautiful volcanic sea above the others: the Doerner inscription is still the only Wyoming on central Idaho’s Snake River Fir. Managed by the BLM in remaining physical evidence Plain. The monument is jointly People barely Oregon’s Coast Range, the along the route of the managed by the BLM and outnumber pronghorns Alaska mighty Doerner Fir is the Lewis and Clark in the Cowboy State. There National Park Service. world’s tallest Douglas fir – Expedition. are nearly as many pronghorn The BLM in Alaska a towering 327 feet tall, antelope in Wyoming as there manages the largest 11.5 feet in diameter, are humans. The estimated and longest glacier in North and over 450 pronghorn population is America. The Bering Glacier years old. 500,000 to 600,000, and the occupies 5,200 square kilometers human population is and is 190 kilometers long. It is about 564,000. located in coastal south central Nevada Alaska. Despite periodic Rhyolite, a ghost town Utah advances due to climate about 120 miles northwest of change, the glacier is Las Vegas, features remnants of a To date, nearly 300 shrinking. bustling community that flourished different species of dinosaur California in the gold mining days of the have been discovered across Utah Here in California, the early 1900s. Among its remaining and most of them are from BLM- Nearly a quarter BLM manages the Imperial landmarks is the most- administered lands. The Cleveland-Lloyd of a billion acres – Sand Dunes, an internationally photographed ghost town Dinosaur Quarry near Price, Utah, recognized world-class venue for building in the West contains the densest concentration Colorado about one-eighth of Jurassic-aged dinosaur bones ever off-highway vehicle enthusiasts. -- the Cook Bank The Canyons of the found. More than 12,000 bones of the landmass With more than 160,000 acres of Building. Ancients National Monument (belonging to at least 74 vast sand dunes, the area also offers contains a wealth of historic of the USA – is individual dinosaurs) have fabulous scenery, opportunities and environmental resources, been excavated at for solitude, and a home to including the highest known density administered by the the quarry. rare plants and animals in of archaeological sites in the nation. BLM. These public the southeast corner The monument invites visitors to of California. Arizona travel back in time to learn about lands & resources You think you know Ancestral Puebloan culture contributed more vistas? No way. They all and the area’s fragile fall short of the magnificence resources. than $130 billion to of the BLM’s Arizona Strip. the U.S. economy Coyote Buttes, Vermilion Eastern Cliffs, Paria Canyon, and New Mexico on a budget that States White Pockets are geological The BLM operates amounts to less than BLM Eastern States treasures unsurpassed in and maintains the only manages small beachfront their remote, rugged 1% of that amount. federal helium storage reservoir, areas in Alabama that are grandeur. enrichment plant, and pipeline Read on for what’s among the very few areas system. Located near Amarillo, Texas, in the U.S. that federally- this reservoir supplies over 40 percent happening near you ! threatened Loggerhead of domestic demand. Helium is more Sea Turtles use for than just a balloon-filling gas nesting. thanks to its medical, space, and defense applications that touch everyone’s lives.

16 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 17 In 1914 near Cripple Creek, Colorado, a group of hard-working miners discovered a hidden chamber – with walls of gold.

STORY BY KYLE SULLIVAN, BLM COLORADO

Turn the page to strike gold...

18 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 19 AMERICAN HISTORY

But before being washed out by Science also benefi tted. Around this outdoor destination for many enthusiasts. n November 24, 1914, in the Cripple Creek the fl ood, the Florence to the Cripple time, infamous rival paleontologists From hiking and mountain biking to Colorado mining district, miners were Creek Line was the busiest narrow- Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel rock climbing, horseback riding, and off- gauge railroad in the West. Miners Charles Marsh discovered rich fossil highway vehicles, amazing opportunities shocked to discover a large chamber with would transport gold ore to Florence beds near Canon City. Their attempts to await around every corner. And another walls completely covered in gold crystals as for processing, and Florence would sabotage one another in the pursuit of 27,000 acres of pristine lands at the send back food and other supplies. This being the greatest paleontologist of all nearby Beaver Creek Wilderness Area large as thumbnails. wealth from gold soon helped spur other time helped establish dinosaurs in the provide even more primitive recreation economic activities in the region. public consciousness. Fossil discoveries opportunities and wildlife habitat. Spencer Penrose, an entrepreneur in Garden Park Fossil Area impacted the And to think, all of the development, The owners quickly installed vault doors, and deployed armed guards to who invested in the mines, made a course of American paleontology and discovery, and progress in this area escort the ore to the mills. While mining had already been prevalent in fortune in Cripple Creek and used his continue to yield important discoveries. began thanks to the ingenuity and hard the area, this discovery helped lead to an economic boom that would last wealth to build a massive irrigation As we arrive in the present day, work of these early American miners. Oyears. system that helped local farmers grow we fi nd that recreation and tourism Thankfully, their legacy allows us to tell The gold from this mine was likely transported through the rugged fruits and vegetables. Today, the remains opportunities are as diverse as the history their story – and wonder what it must and winding canyons like those in the photo above. The precious metal of Penrose’s work can be found at of the land. The Garden Park valley have been like to be the fi rst people into Penrose Commons, a popular recreation between Shelf Road and Canon City is an their golden cave. traveled some 30 miles from Cripple Creek to Canon City. And just two site for hiking and off-highway vehicle years earlier, a massive fl ood had destroyed the Florence and Cripple use. WANT TO PLAN YOUR VISIT? DROP BY ON.DOI.GOV/1PL9D8F Creek Railroad. Thankfully, two other routes existed. Today these roads But the local economy wasn’t the OR USE OUR QR CODE. (DON’T FORGET YOUR GOLD PAN...) make up the Gold Belt National Scenic and Historic Byway. only recipient to profi t from the gold.

20 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 21 etween A.D. 700 and 1150, the Chacoan people built the Great Houses. Thanks to their advanced architecture and masonry ARCHAEOLOGY techniques, some of these elaborate buildings – which they mysteriously left behind – are now known to have been several stories high with hundreds of rooms. HEY, INDIANA JONES! Each year, tens of thousands of visitors explore the spectacular Chaco Canyon in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park. But brave adventurers willing to step off the well-worn path will discover the ruins of a In the remote high deserts relatively unknown but equally captivating network of associated communities known as the Chaco Outliers. of New Mexico, modern- The Great Houses – also known as the Outliers – served as the social, political, and religious center of the day archaeologists and Chaco world. And each one is unique in its setting and state of ruin. Many of them were connected to the adventurers are building a larger settlements in Chaco Canyon via a network of prehistoric roads. bridge to our past. To experience this area, amateur Indiana Joneses should gather up a map and be prepared to navigate off the beaten trail – usually on county or oil fi eld roads that may require high clearance vehicles like SUVs. There are no info centers, and hiking is usually required, but intrepid explorers will be rewarded with the opportunity to experience the places where the Chacoan people lived so many years ago. One destination, the Casamero Pueblo, lies off County bRoad 19 – some 20 miles west of Grants, New Mexico. This particular Outlier is located against a magical STORY BY DONNA HUMMEL, BLM NEW MEXICO backdrop of brilliant red sandstone cliffs. The pueblo contained 22 ground fl oor rooms and may have had as many as six second-story rooms. It was occupied between A.D. 1000 and 1125 and is an excellent example of a Chacoan Outlier with characteristic core-veneer masonry. Two Chacoan roads and a Great Kiva, a semi-subterranean structure usually used for ceremonial or community gatherings, are also evident. You can plan your visit online at blm.gov/nm/casamero. Guadalupe Ruin is the easternmost Chacoan Outlier. This single-story pueblo sits on a sandstone mesa rising nearly 200 feet above the valley fl oor. This ruin consists of at least 39 rectangular rooms and seven kivas. It’s about two hours from Albuquerque, and you can get more info at blm.gov/nm/guadaluperuin. If you decide to go see these wondrous buildings left behind by the Chacoan people nearly 900 years ago, and we hope you do, just make sure you pack plenty of supplies and water as well as a camera. (Indiana Jones hat optional.)

Welcome to the

Sunset at the Casamero Ruin Photo by Lorran Meares Big22 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 House 23 STEWARDSHIP

n a place called Big Timber, the small mountain pine beetle has Itaken its toll. In a number of surrounding areas, the destructive Craig beetle has killed up to Howells, a fuels specialist 90 percent of the lodgepole for the BLM and pines. According to BLM longtime Montana forester Bruce Reid, “ You resident, highlighted the community aspects of can almost hear them the project. “It’s a project chewing though the trees involving both federal and local land owners,” he said. on quiet days.” “The contractor harvesting the timber is based in Montana and the logs are being processed at a Also in Big Timber is the Green mill near here. It’s a true collaboration Mountain Forest Health Project. Thanks to benefi ting the land but also benefi ting this partnership between the BLM, the State the Montana economy.” and adjacent landowners, the area impacted “It’s our responsibility to manage the by the beetle is on the road to recovery. land for long-term stewardship and public The BLM, State of Montana, Stillwater enjoyment,” Reid points out. “Forest Health is Mine, Lion’s Head Ranch, RY Timber, and hazardous fuels reduction, wildlife habitat, and other cooperators are working together to economic boost. It’s not just logging.” harvest and salvage about 2 million board You might say, the Green Mountain Forest Health feet of insect-infested and diseased timber on project is seeing the forest for the trees. 335 acres of BLM, Stillwater Mine and Lion’s Head lands. The objectives are ambitious: to improve forest health and stand diversity, develop a Story by BLM Staff, cooperative road system, enhance public access, reduce hazardous fuels and decrease insect and Montana/Dakotas disease damage. Now in the timber salvage phase, the project Illustration by is the result of several years’ of planning, hard Matt Christenson, work and coordination. Billings Field Manager BLM Oregon Jim Sparks says the work “is really a true success story.” The clear benefi t of removing dead and dying trees is reducing hazardous fuels and thus the potential for catastrophic wildfi re. But the Green Mountain project will also result in about $100,000 for the American people while boosting the local economy. This is the fi rst large-scale sale timber salvage project for the BLM’s Billings Field offi ce in many years.

24 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 25 AMERICAN HISTORY

hen people make an effort to visit what remains Wof the Sanchez Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Camp in southeastern Arizona, they are fascinated by the history. “People love to go to it,” said Dan McGrew, archaeologist for the BLM in Arizona. “It’s just one of the most favorite places that we bring people to.” Nonetheless, only about 300 people a year fi nd their way to what was a bustling work camp for the CCC in the 1930s. It’s not a hard place to get to, about three miles from the Safford Airport on BLM land. But it’s not widely known, and it helps to have Story by Dennis Godfrey, BLM Arizona a guide like McGrew. McGrew points out water tanks dug with hand Visit the historic Sanchez Civilian tools, contours cut into the soil to stop erosion, and earthen dams that still hold water. Many of these and other features built by hand by young men almost 80 Conservation Corps Camp years ago still provide the conservation measure for which they were designed. in southeastern Arizona which This isn’t ancient history. The Sanchez CCC camp was open and active in 1935-36 during the Great Depression. It’s not that long ago from an historical took young men out of bread lines perspective, and that’s one of the connections that people make. Chances are they have a parent or and put them to work outdoors. grandparent who lived through that time. The CCC was an answer to youth unemployment during the Depression. It was also a means to repair a landscape devastated by drought and poor land management. As many as 200 men, most from Texas, lived at the camp. They worked fi ve days a week and were paid $30 a month. Nearly all of that money went home to their families. They were typically young men from 18 to 20 years old. Each of the young men earned food, clothing, and medical care along with housing in the camp. They also received a basic education with classes in spelling and mathematics. Advanced training was available in mechanics, fi refi ghting, and diesel repair. McGrew met a man who had been in the Sanchez CCC Camp. One of the stories he told was of Saturday nights in the nearby town of Safford where there was a little open-air dance spot. The young men would clean themselves up and then load into the back of open trucks for the ride to town. However, the trucks kicked up dust and invariably, the men arrived in town as dirty as if they had made no preparation. Visitors to the site today can see seven standing buildings and interpretive signs. If you visit the Sanchez Civilian Conservation Corps Camp, you can get a sense of a time when young men were willing to endure life in camp and Plan your visit at hard work to help their families far away. You can http://on.doi.gov/1hep8ZZ see the benefi t today to the land from that hard work 80 years ago. 26 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 27 ADVENTURE

A few summers back, I ran a solo river patrol down Desolation Canyon. I was making a night run because I felt I knew the river well enough to fl oat past dark. And I chose that time because I wanted to space myself between launch groups as well as survey the local wildlife that comes hile camping overnight on out of the willows at dusk. Leaning W back, I fl oated quietly down the water a solo rafting trip down Utah’s taking care not to disturb the stillness of evening or the solitude under the aptly named “Desolation Canyon,” brilliant night sky. I arrived at my fi rst stop where I BLM River Ranger Mick Krussow has a planned to set up camp for the night. After making a quick sweep of the area with my headlamp midnight rendezvous with a wild mustang... looking for cactus thorns, I was soon fast asleep. But it wasn’t long before I awoke to the sound of horse hooves approaching from downstream. I bolted upright knowing this was a solitary wild horse that I’d previously seen from a distance. In a desperate attempt to avoid being trampled, I turned on my headlamp and gave a few crazy yells. To my surprise, the wild horse turned and took off in a gallop. I gratefully laid back down and returned to sleep. But sometime later he came back. This time when I turned on my headlamp, he did nothing. But I could fi nally see him up close. An old strawberry roan. No doubt a longtime local resident. And to him, I was in his house. For several minutes we held each other’s eyes atop the banks of the wild Green River. Then, without warning, he moved toward me several steps. I threw my sleeping gear on the patrol boat and untied it for a quick escape. With less than 50 feet of darkness between us, I could feel the great horse breathing and staring me down, his mane as wild as his heritage. I was completely fascinated by his power and beauty. He was the epitome of everything natural and untamed. So I left him to his home and quietly fl oated away. Watching his mystic silhouette come to the water’s edge to drink, I then realized I was sleeping in his territorial watering spot. I went further down the bend to a sprawling beach where I tied Illustration by Matt Christenson, BLM Oregon the boat and went back to sleep. I could still hear the sound of hooves in the night. He was running. Still making his presence known. But now that we’d been introduced and he knew I wasn’t going to encroach upon him, he moved away and allowed me a peaceful sleep for the remainder of the night.

28 MY PUBLIC LANDS SUMMER 2014 29 CELEBRATION WHERE THE HEART IS Nevadans mark omesteading, mining and 150 years of statehood ranching have all been a part of Nevada’s 150-year history. Through with a photo contest it all, the Department of the Interior, and other activities. Hfi rst in the form of the General Land Offi ce and now in the form of the Bureau of Land Management, has played a role the history of America’s 36th state. In order to help celebrate Nevada’s Sesquicentennial in 2014, BLM offi ces in Nevada developed activities designed to encourage people to get out and explore their public lands. Across the nearly 45 million acres managed by the BLM in Nevada, there are many opportunities to get outside. People who enjoy wide open spaces, secluded canyons, historic buildings, and fl ora and fauna were asked to share their experiences as part of BLM Nevada’s second annual photo contest. “There are few places in the world as rich as the public lands in Nevada,” according to Scott Mortimore, a photo contest winners who captured an image of first light on a hunt in northern Washoe County. “If you see a mountain you want to climb, a rim you want to hunt, a stretch of desert you want to explore, odds are it’s there for the taking. You simply go.” Native Nevadan Dennis Doyle, a resident of the Great Basin for 60 years, describes the area as “a little piece of heaven.” “The photo contest was only one part of our efforts to get people exploring their public lands during the Nevada 150 celebration,” said Outdoor Recreation Planner Barb Keleher, who heads the planning committee for the BLM’s support of Nevada’s sesquicentennial. “We’re also working on a junior explorer book that has information and activities for kids and families about sites on each of our districts that will be available later this spring. And

CHRIS ROSE, BLM NEVADA

we’ll be placing Nevada 150-themed geocaches aimed at getting people out Lots More Nevada 150 Photos to trails, historic sites and other areas on public lands throughout the state.”

PHOTO BY MICHELLE JETZER MICHELLE BY PHOTO @ httP://bit.ly/QFMr8N

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